TEHRAN – In comments at the western Kurdish city of Sanandaj on Wednesday, a top military commander warned that Iran will not tolerate the presence of anti-Revolution groups in the Iraqi Kurdistan region, threatening to take harsh action against them.

Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the Ground Force of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, urged the central Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to expel anti-Iran terrorists out of northern Iraq.

Otherwise, Pakpour warned, the IRGC will annihilate the bases of such groups.

The terrorist groups stationed in northern Iraq won’t be allowed to hatch any plots against Iran, the commander said.

These militants, who hide in northern Iraq, harass the local ordinary people in Iran’s borders with Iraq and attack military forces whenever they find an opportunity.  
 
“The officials of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region must evict the elements and members of the terrorist and anti-Revolution groups from northern Iraq immediately, otherwise we will destroy their strongholds and bases,” Tasnim quoted Pakpour as saying.

Highlighting the IRGC’s preparedness to combat any threat, the general warned the enemies that the smallest wrong move will draw a harsh response from IRGC forces.

On September 9, the IRGC Ground Force launched drone and artillery attacks against the strongholds of terrorists hiding in the northern parts of Iraq.

The IRGC employed combat and suicide drones in the operation, as its smart artillery units with pinpoint accuracy targeted the positions of the terrorist groups with high precision, a statement said.

Later on September 19, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri warned that the military strikes against terrorist groups in northern Iraq will remain in place and may even expand.